Search results for

Maison Collard’s claim to fame is a cookie so hard they have to print a warning on it. Legend has it, during the great siege of 1466, the people of Dinant were starving and had only two things at their disposal: flour and honey. They made these into dough and baked it. Later, they began to stamp patterns into the hard dough, with brassware found in their kitchens. In reality, there is little historical evidence to support the existence of the couque before the 18th century. Throughout the period, couques were decorated with depictions of important historic events. Although the tough dough is no longer kneaded by hand, the cookies are still pressed into hand-carved pear wood moulds. Popular shapes include animals, fruits, and scenes of Dinant. Nowadays, sugar and spices are also frequently added to the mix. Couques sold these days must be labeled with a warning advising people not to bite into the hard cookie. Instead, you are advised to dunk it in a beverage, to soften it, or break off a small piece and suck it. In fact, couques are traditionally given to babies to suck on while they are teething. More Information: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/08/flamiche-couques-de-dinant-foodie-favourites-wallonia-belgium/

We arranged a private tour of the Mekong River Delta through the Park Hyatt Saigon. We were driven from the hotel to Cai Be in a Cadillac with snacks and drinks, then escorted to our private river boat (also loaded with fresh fruit, coffee and tea, and other snacks). Our english-speaking tour guide brought us onto a small rowed boat through the smaller channels of the delta, explaining local life and the various trades of the people who live there. We saw a floating market and had lunch at Mr. Kiet’s historic house. Highly recommend spending the morning and afternoon on this tour.

In many ways, the Fairmont Orchid is the quintessential Hawaiian luxury resort. Its big, elegant lobby is blooming with purple orchids and birds of paradise, its enormous, 24-hour swimming pool wends its way around black rock islands, and its 32 lush acres include tropical gardens and a white-sand beach that frames an aquamarine cove. The 540 guest rooms and suites, located in two six-story towers, all have lanais; half have ocean (or partial water) views, the others overlook the spotless grounds. It’s the dream Vacationland, and as such, the mood is jolly round-the-clock. Cheerful staff oversee the long list of activities—canoe excursions, petroglyph hikes, stand-up paddle-boarding, and about a zillion other options are available both on property and off (some activities are complimentary, others cost extra)—and the crowd tends to be a fun-in-the-sun bunch. On any given day, there might be a Canadian family in a heated volleyball game on the beach, or a group of Silicon Valley execs soaking in the hot tub.

Carve out a day to spend at the award-winning Spa Without Walls, where the Hawaian-influenced treatments are performed in 17 treatments rooms, some with ocean views and private outdoor spaces. Them, fuel up on Japanese meats and sushi, fresh seafood, robatayaki (grilled) items, beachside classics, and more at the numerous dining outlets. Along with repeat guests, the hotel’s most frequent visitors are the giant sea turtles that regularly hang out at the Orchid’s beachfront. They’ve become such an integral part of the property that even guests at other hotels drop by for a peek.

According to Aboriginal legend the Glass House Mountains in Queensland, just inland from the Sunshine Coast, got their shapes after an epic ancient fight amidst the family they belonged too. As such they have held supreme spiritual significance for generations and the story of their creation remains important to this day. Hiking around these 16 ethereally shaped volcanic crags that rise from the humid green environs in sporadic bursts is as stunning as it is sacred. The mountains are part of a national park named after them. There are hiking for all fitness levels, including families. One option is the short, but intense, roundtrip hike to the summit of Mt Ngungun (253m). It has impressive views of the four major peaks and can be a bit challenging hiking – keep the kids close, the steep trail passes close to the cliff line and can be slippery. If you love to scramble up rocks, try climbing Tibrogargan and Beerwah, both hikes require some free base scrambles up loose rock, but are under 2 miles round trip.

Opened in 2011, Reykjavík’s Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre is not only the most significant classical music venue in Iceland (home to the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and the Icelandic Opera), but also one of the country’s most striking examples of modern architecture. Located close to the old harbor, the building was part of a larger development meant to breathe life into the downtown district (the plan was abandoned due to the subsequent economic crash, but funds to complete Harpa were found). The coruscating, eye-catching facade was designed by Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, and the spacious interior has four handsome halls, the largest of which can accommodate up to 1,800 seated guests. There are also smaller conference rooms dotted throughout the building, and the ground floor hosts a record shop, café and restaurant, and other public areas. In addition to classical concerts, the venue holds music festivals, pop shows, art exhibitions, and more.

The largest museum in Hawaii studies and preserves the history of the islands and the Pacific—for those interested in local culture, it’s a must. The Victorian building originally housed family heirlooms from Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last direct descendant of King Kamehameha I, including her ancestor’s royal feathered cape. Today the Bishop teems with more than 24 million artifacts, documents, and photos about Hawaii and other Polynesian cultures. Other highlights include everyday items, like combs made from coconut-leaf ribs, and extraordinary ones, like the leiomano (a shark-tooth-studded weapon kept hidden until battle). Don’t miss the 55-foot sperm whale skeleton and other natural-history exhibits, along with a planetarium showing how voyagers navigated the Pacific, guided by the stars.

Huayna Picchu is the landmark peak at Machu Picchu from which the classic, shot-from-above postcard photos are typically taken. While the views are spectacular, of course, the trail is not easy, studded with precarious, sometimes uneven stone steps, and often directly flanked by sheer drop-offs (thus probably out of the question for anyone with a fear of heights). While most hike to the top and back, you can also go up and around to the other side, with a visit to the Temple of the Moon/Great Cavern along the way. Admittance to Huayna Picchu is limited and sells out two or three months in advance; pay for your entrance as part of your Machu Picchu admission.

Every once in a while, the sun shines bright in San Francisco and every city residents flocks to the nearest park or beach to soak up the sun and day drink. Baker Beach, in the confines of SF, seems worlds away from city life. The view of the Golden Gate Bridge is spectacular, and the diverse group of Baker Beach visitors is a testament to what a hodge podge San Francisco truly is. Parking can be a pain in the butt; take the 29 bus and save yourself the hassle.

This isn’t downhill ski country, but the nordic trails in and around Rocky Mountain National Park are remarkable. You can see the Stanley Hotel—which is actually a compound of white-painted buildings at the base of some enormous stone formations—from miles away as you roll into Estes Park. Built in 1909 as the private guest house of F.O. Stanley, it is now one of the most historic (and, say some, haunted) hotels in the country. It is famous for its role in Stephen King’s The Shining, but also for its proximity to the National Park, its partnership with local outfitter Kent Mountaineering, and for its pop-up weekend dinner club and extensive whiskey bar (over 1200 expressions and counting).

Located along M Street in the heart of Georgetown’s hustle and bustle is the oldest extant home in DC. Built by a Pennsylvania cabinetmaker/carpenter in 1765 using locally sourced rock, timber, and earth, the Old Stone House still retains its rugged stone appearance even after being threatened with demolition in the 1950’s. It was the urban legend that President Washington and city designer Pierre L’Enfant met here to plan the layout of DC that saved the building. Today, guests can tour the three-story structure to learn about its history and late 18th century colonial living in the DC area.

Perched high above the sea on the east coast of St. Kitts is Brimstone Hill, a massive stone fortress built by African slaves for the British during the 17th and 18th centuries. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the military stronghold, which took 100 years to complete, is considered one of the best-preserved fortifications in the region. From the top, you can see six neighboring islands on a clear day.

Located just off Main Street, the Washington School House Hotel eschews Park City’s typical rustic style for a pared-down, flea-market–chic aesthetic. Before being reimagined as a design-oriented inn in 2011, the 1889 building served as a schoolhouse for miners’ children and a dancehall for the local outpost of Veterans of Foreign Wars. Today, the interior is anything but traditional, from the whitewashed living room with 16-foot ceilings to the antique mirror and the white, lacquered antler chandelier. Outside, a heated pool sits on the hillside surrounded by aspens and boulders. There’s also a fire pit, fashioned from a steel Olympic torch from the 2002 Winter Games.

Each of the guestrooms and suites is unique, though all feature reclaimed wood floors, crystal chandeliers, and tall windows. An artful collection of European antiques and vintage paintings adds a bohemian vibe, while white marble bathrooms offer heated floors, walk-in showers, clawfoot tubs, and period fixtures. Guests can also look forward to plush hooded robes and top-notch toiletries from Molton Brown.

Bright and early, just before the sun comes up over Mount Bromo, Mount Semeru and Mount Batok, with ample rolling fog and an epic eruption for good measure. We climbed Mount Penanjakan in our Toyota 4x4 pre-dawn in the headlights of some 1,200 other vehicles. Once at the viewpoint my travel partner and I decided against the same shooting vantage as everyone else - all 3,000 tourists, gah - and climbed down the hill for a better look (and a few square feet to dig in our tripods). As soon as the sun started to shine and illuminate the volcanoes in the distance, all the nuisance and discomfort of the day, all the pain and suffering associated with actually making the trip to Bromo, it vanished. We spent the next hour shooting one of the most incredible sunrises I have ever witnessed. Getting here is a bit of a package-tour nightmare, but so very much worth it in the end.

Jeju is known as the “Hawaii of South Korea” because of its blue waters and volcanic makeup (minus the tropical weather). One of island’s top experiences is ending the day with a solemn stroll through Jeju Stone Park, a tranquil space with conceptual rock displays inspired by local mythology and geology. The main draw is the outdoor stone sculptures and cultural village, complemented by a couple of indoor museums exhibits. Highlights include the tomb guardian children and grandfatherly, basalt “dolhareubang” figures. In olden times, the dolhareubang were considered to be gods offering both protection and fertility and were placed outside of gates for protection against demons.

The all-suite historic Carillon Miami Beach sits along private white sands forming its own luxury haven. An anchor for the North Beach neighborhood, the hotel is the perfect base for exploring the endless attractions and events that surround it. Boasting South Florida’s largest spa combined with one of the most comprehensive wellness programs on the East Coast of the U.S, the resort also offers an extensive array of recreational activities allowing you to create the ideal vacation stay.

Personal Concierges can arrange it all for you, whether it’s a night out on the town, a spa treatment, or dinner in the hotel’s new THYME restaurant. You don’t have to be a VIP, as every guest is given the same superior service from the moment you check into one of the 150 one- or two-bedroom suites. On-site active offerings include more than 40 complimentary indoor and outdoor fitness and movement classes each day, a two-story indoor rock wall, and four swimming pools—including an adults-only rooftop pool.

Health and wellness options feature nutritional counseling, acupuncture, diagnostic testing, and functional medicine. Pampering time in the magnificent 70,000-square-foot integrated spa and wellness space can get you indulging in European-inspired Thermal experiences, as well as such treatments as massages, facials, sound therapy, and even the chance to enjoy your therapies side-by-side with your traveling companion.

Executive Chef Fritz Zwahlen delights with four dining venues featuring fresh, local produce. The latest restaurant, THYME, pairs American fare with views of the water. Carillon Bar & Lounge, The Cabana, and the Juice Bar are more choices for meals and drinks.